Ignition coil and distributor



Oct; 13, 1936. M. MALLORY IGNITION COIL-AND DISTRIBUTOR Filed Sept. 10, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 13, 1936. M. MALLORY IGNITION COIL AND DISTRIBUTOR Filed Sept. 10; 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Q g w 25% v I ln O 8 a Mt H L 3 n I a HM 3 1 I k I J I R w Q wa M 1 I I l/ r $1.. a v h M Q g H v w a mm w U wk m 9 Wm Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rom'rron con. AND msrnmu'ron Marion Mallory, Detroit, Mich.

Application September 10, 1994, Serial No. 743,473

5 Claims. (Cl. 123-148) This invention relates to an ignition coil and distributor for internal combustion engines, and particularly to their arrangement with reference to each other.

The general object of the invention is to provide a coil and distributor assembly which is very compact, so that it occupies a comparatively small space. Their construction and relation to each other are such that they may be manufactured and installed, or easily removed for servicing or replacement, as a single unit. At the same time, the close proximity of the coil to the distributor and the resultant short length of the high tension lead from the coil insure a minimum corona loss and consequently the highest electrical efiiciency and a hotter spark than can be obtained with any arrangement heretofore used. Incidentally, the entire length of the high tension lead from the coil to the central distributor brush is molded within a bakelite cap, so that it is entirely free from troubles due to moisture.

The above and other objects of the invention will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a coil and distributor unit constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure l, the section through the governor being on the line A--A of Figure 9.

Figure 3 is a wiring diagram for the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the construction shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the circuit breaker support plate shown in Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a section taken on the line 1--1 of Figure 6, showing also the spring contact for completing the high tension circuit through the circuit breaker.

Figure 8 is a detail view of the circuit breaker plate, looking from the right hand side of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the governor assembly shown in Figure 2.

Figure 10 is a detail view of the governor weight plate.

Figure 11 is a detail sectional view taken on the line IIII of Figure 6.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the distributor shaft 9 is rotatably mounted in a metallic housing I0 and has a rotor II on its front end. The housing I0 is adapted to be secured to the gear case and the distributor mechanism is driven by a member I2, preferably from the cam shaft of the engine. A centrifugal governor is provided for advancing the spark with reference to the speed of operation, and in connection with this governor there is a brake plate I3 adapted to be engaged by a vacuum brake which is indicated conventionally at I4 and which may be controlled from the engine intake in a manner similar to that shown and described in U. 8. Patent No. 1,896,714, issued to me February 7, 1933.

In connection with the centrifugal governor, a drive plate 96 is secured to the shaft 9. A pin 91 secured in the plate 96 extends through a slot 98 in the brake plate I3 and a governor weight 99 is pivotally mounted on its front end. A governor weight I00 cooperating with the weight 99 is pivotally mounted on a pin I 0| which is secured to the governor weight plate I02, the latter being secured to the hub I03 of the circuit breaker cam I04. Preferably there are two pairs of these governor weights, as shown in Figure 9. As the weights move outwardly under the influence of centrifugal force, their edges roll against each other substantially without friction and their pivots 91 and I M move away from each other. This causes an advance of the plate I02 and cam I04 with reference to the drive plate 96 and the shaft 9. Slots I05 in the plate I02 provide clearance for the pins 91 as the plate I02 is advanced.

A spring perch I06 is loosely mounted on the shaft 9 and pins I01 project therefrom through notches I08 in the plate I02. The notches I08 are a little wider than the diameter of the pins I01 so that the initial advance of the plate I02 is unrasisted except by the friction of the high tension distributor brush and the circuit breaker arms, so that the initial spark advance is quite rapid as the speed increases from idling, but as soon as the pins I01 engage the edges of the notches I08, the spring perch I06 must advance with the plate I02, and this is resisted by the governor springs I09, which are initially radial. Each of these springs is connected at one end to the pin I01 and at the other end to a pin I I0 projecting from the brake plate I3. Application of the brake to the plate I3 retards the latter and therefore increases the tension of the springs I09. The maximum outward movement of each pair of weights is limited by a link III which is pivoted to one of the weights and provided with a slot H2 receiving a stop pin 3 which proiects from the other weight.- This limits the maximum spark advance.

- The shaft 9 is mounted in a bearing i5 in the base of the housing It], and in a bearing |5 in the plate H which is secured within the house ing l0 and supports the circuit breaker arms 12. The plate |1 constitutes a partition which prevents oil or oil vapor from entering the chamber l8 within which the rotor H is located.

The housing i8 is formed with anintegral extension |9, which constitutes a housing for the coil assembly 29. A molded cap 2| of bakelite or similar material forms a cover for the housing i0 and its extension l9, providing separate chambers for the rotor and the coil assembly, which are in close proximity to each other. Screws 22, 28, 24 and 25 secure the cover 2| in position. The cap 2| has an extension 26, to whichan end piece 21 is secured to form a closed chamber for the primary coil winding 28, secondary winding 29 and core 89.

One end of the primary winding 28 is connected by a conductor 3| to a terminal 82 and one end of the secondary winding 29 is connected to the core 36, as indicated at 33. The other ends of these windings are connected together at the point 34, which is electrically connected through a stud 35 and bar 36 to a terminal post 81. The shaft 9 is formed with an annular shoulder 84 within the bearing l5 and a leather sealing ring is compressed between the oil throw ring 86 and the shoulder 84. The oil throw ring is pressed firmly over the leather and swedged into place. Under this operation the leather expands laterally a few thousandths of an inch and forms a. tight fit in the bushing to prevent corrosive gases that blow by the pistons from entering the distributor and serves also as an oil seal. The constructional advantage is that no retaining washer is required.

The rotor carries a spring loaded blade 46 which connects the central brush 4| successively to the terminals 42 and the high tension wires 43 leading to the respective spark plugs. The brush 4| is electrically connected through its spring 44 and a conductor 45, embedded in the cap 2|, to the core 30. The cover 46 secured to the cap 2| holds the wires 43 in place and a rubber seal 81 is compressed against these wires within the cover as the latter is secured to the cap 2|, so that moisture is effectively excluded from the interior of the distributor. An outer cap 88 is secured to the cover 46 and in the present instance the two members 46 and 88 are formed with oppositely disposed conduits M4 for the wires 43, which are adapted to be connected to the spark plugs on opposite sides of a V-8 engine.

An insulated post 38, secured to the plate i1, extends through a hole 10 therein, and the circuit breaker spring 1|, secured to its irmer end, passes about the circuit breaker arms 12 and carries the movable contact points 39, which cooperate with the fixed contact points 15. An oil channel 16 for the bearing I6 is cast in the plate l1 and has an elongated mouth 11 to allow for timing adjustment without throwing it out of registry with the oil hole in the wall of the housing Ill. The plate I1 is also formed with a peripheral groove 18, which is engaged by a pointed set screw, the latter serving as an additional means to secure the plate against displacement. Bosses and holes for the pins 8|, which support the breaker arms 12, are cast in the plate i1. This reduces manuiacturing error and eliminates the need for locating jigs and drilling operations.

In adjusting the circuit breaker points 15, it is desirable not to turn them, so that the interlocking of the pitted surfaces will not be disturbed. For this purpose, therefore, each point 15 is secured to a slide 69, the latter being iormed with a notch which is engaged by a cam 9| having a stem 92 adapted to be turned by a screw driver. When the proper adjustment is effected, a clamp 93 is drawn down against the slide 89 by a machine bolt 94, which extends through a slot in the slide.

It will be noted that when the common bakelite cap 2| is'installed, three electrical connections are made, which complete four circuits. One of these circuits comprises the high tension connection from the coil to the rotor, another makes the ground for the condenser, the third is the low tension current supply to the breaker points, and the fourth makes the high tension ground for the coil. It is important that these connections be made simultaneously with the installation of the cover in order to obviate the need of separate external wires and connections, also to facilitate servicing. The post 38 has an arm 82 extending into the extension i9 outside of the coil through a slot so formed that the arm does not contact with the metallic side of the distributor chamber. The end of this arm 82 is adapted to be engaged by a spring contact 83, which is secured to the post 81, thus making an electrical connection from the coil windings to the circuit breaker points whenever the cap 2| is placed in assembled position. At the same time, the brush 4| makes contact with the rotor blade 48 and the outside of the condenser 41 is grounded through the screw 25 to the metallic.

housing It, th inside being connected through its supporting screw 48 to the bar 88 of the primary circuit.

The electrical circuits will be best understood from Figure 3, considered in connection with Figures 1 and 2. The primary circuit is from the battery 49 to the terminal 32, thence through the primary winding 28, stud 35, bar 36, terminal 31 and post 88 to the circuit breaker points 89 and 15, thence through ground to the battery. The high tension circuit is from the junction point 34 through the secondary winding 29, thence through the connection 33 and the embedded conductor 45 to the brush 4|, whence it is distributed by the rotor blade 48 to the various spark plug leads 49.

In Figures 4 and 5, I have shown means by which the invention may be adapted to a conventional type of distributor. Here the rotor 58 is mounted on a vertical shaft 5| within the housing 52, which is provided with a cap 53. A blade 54 carried by the rotor is adapted to connect the brush 55 successively to the spark plug leads 56. Above the cap 58 is a cover 51 which projects beyond the side 01' the distributor housing to provide a support and cover for the coil assembly 58. The condenser 59 is also secured by a screw 6|] to the extension of the cover 51.

A conductor 6|, embedded in the cover 51, connects the secondary winding of the coil to the brush 55. The distributor cap 53 and the cover 51 are secured to the housing 52 by screws 62, 63 and 64. The outside of the condenser 59 is connected by a conductor 65 to the screw 64, which is grounded to the housing 52 when the screw is inserted to secure the cover thereto, and

the inside of the condenser is connected by a conductor bar 66 to the terminal post .1, which is connected to the insulated circuit breaker post 38 in the same manner as the screw 31 in Pigures 3 and 7, and which is also connected through the stud 68 to the coil windings.

The wiring for the coil assembly SI and the current flow are substantially the same as that shown and described for the coil assembly 20. In this construction, it will be noted thatthe coil assembly is set high enough to prevent any possible interference with the cylinder head bolts of the engine.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction herein shown and described, but includes all other modiiications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an ignition system for internal combu tion engines, a distributor housing, a coil housing, a cover common to both housings, a rotor within the distributor housing, a brush within the cover contacting centrally with the rotor, an ignition coil assembly within the coilhousing and including a core anchored atpone end in said cover, and a high tension lead from the core to the brush, said lead being continuously embedded in said cover, the high tension circuit being from the secondary winding of the coil through the core and through said lead and brush to the rotor.

2. In an ignition system for internal combus tion engines, a distributor and an ignition coil assembly arranged side by side, said distributor including a housing with a cover removably seciliyred thereto and supporting said coil assemb 3. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, a distributor and an ignition coil assembly arranged side by side, said distributor including ahousing with a cover secured-thereto, and a rotor within said housing, said coil assembly being supported by said cover and including a primary winding and a secondary winding, and a conductor continuously molded in said cover throughout its length, one end of said conductor being electrically connected to the rotor and the other end to said secondary winding.

4. The combination with an ignition coil assembly and a distributor for the high tension current, of a common cover therefor, and means for securing the cover thereto and thereby completingthree electrical connections, one between the high tension winding and the rotor of the distributor, another between the low tension winding and the circuit breaker points, and the third a ground for the condenser.

5.,'I'he" combination with a distributor and an ignition coil, of a common housing with chambers for the distributor and coil respectively, a common cover for both chambers, a supplemental coirer tor the distributor having holes for high tension wires, and a rubber pad with corresponding holes between the cover and the supplemental cover and adapted/to be compressed to form a moisture proof rubber seal around the wires, as the supplemental cover is secured in position.

' MARION MALLORY. 

